History Minute: Cherry missed out on second termPolitical winds shift rapidly. In the 1950s, the Arkansas political winds swept up several promising politicians, including Gov. Francis Cherry. Though an able and otherwise honest man, Cherry was one of only five governors in state history not to be elected to a second term. Francis Adams Cherry was born in 1908 in Fort Worth, Texas, the son of a railroad conductor. As a child, the family moved across Texas and Oklahoma. The family settled in...

News Thoughts: Hating Valentine's Day? Donate your ex's stuffIs a breakup bringing you heartache for Valentine's Day? Goodwill stores in the Sarasota and Las Vegas areas have an anti-Valentine's Day antidote. They're asking people to donate their ex's stuff with a "don't hate, donate" campaign. Goodwill Manasota Foundation Vice President Veronica Brandon Miller said the agency is "having a little fun at the expense of Valentine's Day." But she noted breakups are never easy and that it is important to "g...

Conger shaped higher education in ArkansasOf the many figures to shape higher education in Arkansas, John Conger has perhaps the most unique experience. Throughout his leadership career, he served as president of five colleges, including three in Arkansas. John William Conger was born in Jackson, Tennessee, in 1857. His father was an architect. He earned a bachelors degree from Union University in 1878, followed by a masters degree in 1885. One of his earliest duties as an educator wa...

Suspect steals patrol carPolice said a Pennsylvania shoplifting suspect is in custody on charges that he briefly stole a police car. Springettsbury Township police said the bizarre chain of events began shortly before 1 p.m. Monday. That’s when police responded to call Marlo Harvard, Jr., 21, of Baltimore, had left a Wal-Mart with some stolen merchandise. Police spotted Harvard near a bus stop and gave chase, and when one officer left his car to join in, Harvard circl...

The failure of multiculturalismJust as radar warns of approaching storms, so does the flood of migrants entering Europe warn us of a deluge yet to come, not only for Europeans, if they continue to allow unrestricted immigration, but for the United States. Reports that women in Cologne, Germany, have been groped and robbed by men described by authorities as having “a North African or Arabic” appearance should be warning enough, but there are other and more ominous warnings t...

Remembering when the music diedA nice reader wrote, “You include old 50’s song lyrics in your column often you must be an old rock ‘n roll fan. So, tell me, when do you think our music was born and when did it die?” The birth, Ralph? Many say it began with Bill Haley and the Comets recording “Rock Around the Clock.” And, for its death, I’m sure you refer to the plane crash killing Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the ‘Big Bopper’ Feb. 3, 1959. A day immortalized by Don McLea...

News Thoughts: Police recover another load of stolen cheeseFor the second time in a week, police in Wisconsin recovered a stolen load of cheese worth tens of thousands of dollars. Marshfield Police Lt. Darren Larson said 41,000 pounds of parmesan cheese worth $90,000 was stolen from a Marshfield distributor Jan. 15. A semi picked up the cheese that day, but it never reached its intended destination in Illinois. Larson said investigators received a tip Thursday that the cheese was likely in Grand Chute...

Letter to the Editor: Back to the future part 2Marty suddenly appears with a lot of noise and dust and commotion in the time machine as the professor looks on. “We’ve got to do some work on this machine, Professor. It keeps taking me 10 years ahead to the same little city of Russellville, Ark.” “Well Marty, what’s going on there now?” “They just finished building Lake Tech out by the university. The dam runs along on the east side of Phoenix Avenue, and the lake is between there and the sc...

Book urges parents to reorder their lifeNEW YORK — Dr. Leonard Sax has been a family physician and psychologist for 27 years, conducting workshops around the world for parents, teachers, social workers, counselors, school psychologists and juvenile justice professionals. He’s also a dad, and it’s from all those perspectives that he took on his fourth book, an alarm bell of sorts titled, “The Collapse of Parenting,” out recently from Basic Books. Sax, who lives in Exton, Pennsylvania...

Burglary suspect identified after locking keys in carA man suspected of burglarizing two Alaska businesses was delayed in his get-away by locking his keys in his car. A call to a cab company helped open the car but also led to his identification. Surveillance video led police in North Pole, a city 14 miles south of Fairbanks, to seek a warrant for Joseph Michael Barria, 27, who is suspected of stealing tools, stereo equipment and other property from a laundry and a fitness business. The Jan. 6 v...

History Minute: Anderson a pioneer in making movies popularModern moviegoers often go to the movies looking for newer and more dazzling feature for their movies, looking for clever computer-generated graphics, stirring soundtracks, stereo surround sound, and high-definition digital pictures. At the turn of the century, movies offered none of those, only grainy, flickering images without any sound at all. Arkansas native Gilbert M. Anderson became a pioneer in making movies popular with the American pu...

Letter to the Editor: Voluntary tax for animal shelterVoluntary tax for animal shelter. First, let me say I am a pet owner. I own four pets. This is in regard to the recent article about a voluntary tax for animal control. I believe the county would be better served by a pet registration. Each cat and dog should be registered with the county, with proof of rabies vaccination, which is required by state law. The state requires a $25 penalty for each pet that is not vaccinated. I doubt this is bein...

History Minute: Glover paved way for higher educationAt the beginning of the 20th century, Arkansas education was still in a very primitive state. One man in particular brought higher education to thousands of Arkansans in an unparalleled effort. With one piece of legislation in 1909, Robert Glover introduced what became four prominent universities in the state and opened limitless opportunities for generations of Arkansas students. Robert William Glover was born in Grant County in 1866 into a f...

The night the Holy Ghost visited the MethodistsRemember Ray Stevens’ crazy song about the Mississippi squirrel causing a revival in the Pascagoula church? I’m here to tell you about a similar event that took place in Carthage. It happened during a “Watch Night” service. For those who don’t know, Watch Night is a long service on New Year’s Eve that includes about five hours of singing, testifying, and preaching lasting up until midnight, when the church bell rings in the new year. This is h...

Burglary suspect returned to get iced tea bottleAuthorities in Florida said a suspected burglar was arrested after returning to a crash scene to retrieve a bottle of iced tea, fearing it would be used as evidence. Bryan Lindon, 23, was reportedly charged with burglary of an unoccupied residence and grand theft. Authorities said Lindon and another person are suspected of breaking into a Cooper City home Tuesday morning, then trying to break into another residence in Pembroke Pines. Police ar...

Letter to the Editor: Commemorate birthdays separatelyI agree 100 percent with Governor Hutchinson’s proposal to honor Robert E. Lee’s and Martin Luther King’s birthdays separately. In fact, I’m not sure why they should be honored on the same day in the first place. What I do find curious is the governor’s lack of mention of Lee, seemingly focusing his argument entirely on honoring King. Each of these icons affected the course of history in different ways and at different times. Each of them dese...

Lettter to the editor: Don't forget to let fire trucks passDon’t forget to let fire trucks pass A fire truck, with sirens blaring and lights flashing, had a difficult time getting to the emergency at 8 a.m. this morning (Jan. 12). I was traveling south on South Arkansas Avenue when I noticed a fire truck approaching behind me. I signaled and pulled over to let the truck pass. I had to follow the truck for a few blocks, and those poor firemen had such a tough time getting where they were going! They ha...

Couple engaged at Wal-Mart, then accused of theftA Michigan couple’s engagement got off to a rocky start last year. Police said a 25-year-old man proposed marriage to a 20-year-old woman at a Bay City Wal-Mart store in front of employees and other shoppers who congratulated them on Dec. 30. But that same night, William Cornelius Jr. later was accused of shoplifting at a nearby store and arrested. Court records showed the items included an edible thong and sex toy. The Bay City Times, citing ...

Bonneville documented unexplored landsThe early years of the United States includes tales of many daring explorers. One of these figures was Benjamin Louis Eulalie de Bonneville, a Frenchmen by birth who immigrated to the United States and eventually made Arkansas his home. Bonneville gave Americans a much clearer view of the Rocky Mountain West thanks to his travels in the 1830s. Benjamin Bonneville was the son of a publisher and born in Paris, France, in 1796. In 1803, the famil...

Letter to the Editor: Job well doneFrom Dec. 28 to Dec. 30, 2015, the Russellville School District (RSD) and Russellville Rotary Club joined efforts to make an impact in the Arkansas River Valley, and I for one feel like we did. When RSD Athletic Director Johnny Johnson was speaking at a club meeting and mentioned the idea of having a basketball tournament to help local food banks during the holidays, it didn’t take Rotarians Tonya Gosnell and Kelly Stewart a second thought to ...